USA accuses former Venezuelan President Maduro of torture

The US has charged former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro with additional alleged crimes. In addition to “drug terrorism,” according to an amended indictment, the judiciary now also accuses him of torturing US citizens held in Venezuela.

Maduro authorized the use of torture against certain individuals and oversaw a system that allegedly used torture, arbitrary detention and violence as a means of suppressing political opposition, the indictment says.

Physical and psychological torture?

The former head of state and his wife are said to have "terrorized perceived opponents through persecution and violence" in order to remain in power. Between 1999 and 2025, the couple ordered government employees to silence members of the opposition through severe physical and psychological pain.

The amended indictment states that a government employee developed torture methods that he personally approved of from Maduro. Another government employee is said to have threatened opposition members with torture on behalf of Maduro. And a third government employee is said to have been involved in torturing opponents of the regime with electric shocks.

In US prison since January

Maduro led Venezuela in an authoritarian manner at the head of a socialist government from 2013 to 2026. In January, he and his wife Cilia Flores were captured by U.S. special forces in the Venezuelan capital Caracas in a controversial operation. Critics described the action as a violation of international law.

The US allegation was that the 63-year-old had used his office as president and previous positions in the government for years to enable the smuggling of thousands of tons of cocaine into the US. He is also said to have sold diplomatic passports to drug traffickers, facilitated diplomatically disguised flights for drug money and protected drug shipments.

Wife's request rejected

Both Maduro and his wife denied the allegations. Both have been in a prison in the USA since January. The trial against her is scheduled to begin in June 2027. If found guilty, the couple could face a minimum sentence of 50 years in prison for the new torture charge alone.

If the previous charges of drug terrorism and cocaine smuggling are also true, the couple will face a life sentence. The federal court rejected Maduro's wife's request to leave prison on bail because of health problems.

With information from Martin Ganslmeier, ARD Studio New York